With the proliferation of social media into our everyday lives, it seems like younger generations have become caught up with racking up résumés with lots of “stuff,” only to “win” a job that he or she is unhappy with in the long run.
I will be the first to say that I’ve spent the last twenty five years building a résumé and not a life. Call it habit, call it societal expectations…the point is, I’ve taken jobs and assumed responsibilities because I thought it’s what I was supposed to do. In his book Wellth (yes, it’s “wealth” incorrectly spelled), Jason Wachob explores what a life would look like if people stopped focusing on material things and spent more time “growing their happiness and well-being.”
In the book’s opening pages, Wachob juxtaposes the definitions of “wealth” and “wellth.”
Noun | \welth\ Derived from the Middle English…meaning well-being and happiness: a large amount of money and possessions.
Noun | \welth\ A new and more valuable life currency: a life exemplified by abundance, happiness, purpose, health, and joy.
Same word phonetically, but quite different in meaning.
Which would you prefer?
I really like how the book is structured-part advice guide for a budding entrepreneur, part memoir of how Wachob became the founder and CEO of Mindbodygreen, which is a digital lifestyle brand.
There are several quotes peppered throughout the book from Nelson Mandela to Bob Dylan-I thought this was a great little aside to include, as it broke up the text from looking like a standard chapter book.
The text itself is quite an inspiring read-what I got from it is that you’re only as “wellthy” as you invest in yourself. If you get too caught up trying to make money, you’ll neglect spiritual and physical renewal that is necessary to stay alive (and to say sane). I’d say this is a great book for any business person or entrepreneur (new or old) to read…the material is timeless, Wacob’s personal story is engaging, and who doesn’t want to learn a little bit more about how to separate oneself from the daily grind that can take a toll on mental and physical health?
All in all a very good read…I’d even go so far as to say this would be a great graduation gift for students finishing high school or college. To me, those milestones were goals I visualized achieving for years, and when I did, all I wanted to do was continue building that “perfect résumé.” Maybe if I had had a book like this earlier on, even a few years ago, I might have realized what I did reading this-and in my year off from law school- that life is so much more than a transcript of accomplishments.
Life’s about self-worth, self-love, and the relationships and experiences we cultivate throughout our lifetime.
Score Card: Cover Art 5/5 (I really like the cover) | Content 5/5 | Ease of Read 5/5
I was provided a complimentary copy of this text in exchange for my honest thoughts after reading it.
